Chad Bettis works against the Giants on Wednesday at Coors Field. (Doug Pensinger, Getty Images)

A Rockies bullpen that was stellar in two victories over the Giants this week got blown around the yard Wednesday at gusty Coors Field.

In a series finale against San Francisco, five Rockies relievers combined to allow seven earned runs and seven hits in five innings. The Giants’ capper — en route to a 12-10 victory in 11 innings — was Hector Sanchez’s grand slam in the 11th off Colorado’s Chad Bettis, Sanchez’s second homer of the game.

“It’s tough for any pitcher to keep throwing fastballs when they’re expecting it. From my standpoint, it was three fastballs too many,” said Bettis, who allowed one hit and two walks (one intentional) to load the bases before pitching a full count to Sanchez.

“I was just trying to do my job and get guys out,” he said. “I put myself in a bad spot and I got hurt for it.”

A difference it makesIn a three-game series against the Giants, the Rockies’ bullpen was tops in two, then faltered in the finale.

Game

Hits

ER

IP

Result

Monday

1

0

4

W, 8-2

Tuesday

3

0

2

W, 2-1

Wednesday

7

7

5

L, 12-10, 11 inn.

In six innings over two games Monday and Tuesday, the Rockies’ bullpen allowed four combined hits and no earned runs — and Colorado won 8-2and 2-1.

Rex Brothers on Tuesday used one pitch to induce an rally-killing double play Tuesday in the eight inning. On Wednesday, with a one-run lead, Brothers gave up a two-run homer to Brandon Belt in the seventh.

Matt Belisle, in his first appearance in the series, allowed a solo homer on his first pitch of the eighth to Sanchez to break.

That was the atmosphere Brothers inherited in the 11th, with baseballs flying out at a hectic pace.

“It has no affect. You’re still trying to do your job and trying to keep the ball down and get groundballs,” Bettis said.

“In the big scheme of things, it’s one game. I would have liked to have it, for sure. But we’ve got a game to play Friday.”

Really bad choices in the use of the bullpen. But what do I know, I am not a seasoned high school baseball coach.

Pete Harnisch

Hindsight is 20-20, but where the heck is your $17 million middle reliever (Logan) when the game is on the line?!?!

Mike321

With Logan and Kahnle on the bench with the game on the line and Weiss brings in the killer B’s….Belisle should be used in mop up duty only, Brothers has been critically involved in 3 of the losses this year and has Bettis ever had a clean inning this season? I didn’t get the choices made in this game…To me that loss was on Weiss since there were other choices available than the ones being made.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.